May Arts Ribbon Tree

I had the crazy thought a little while ago that perhaps I could take on just one more design team committment (if I were to be so lucky) and so I tried my hand at applying for the May Arts design team. Unfortunately I didn't make it, but that's alright because I still came away with a lovely new project which I can share with you all.

So today I’m going to show you how to make this simple but beautiful home décor piece, that can be used as a centerpiece or to adorn your bookcase or mantle.

 

To make each of the flower buds (I like to think of them as cherry blossoms) you need approximately 12” of sheer organza ribbon. I’ve used CC17. And a needle and thread. And yes, that’s my dirty ruler in all it’s glory… I’m a messy mister, but that’s a tutorial for another day!

 

Tie a knot in one end and trim off the short end of the ribbon so the knot is right at the end. This is going to form the centre of our flower.

 

Then wind the ribbon around the centre knot, twisting it over and over as you go. You do not need to get too precise for this, in fact I encourage you to experiment. The tighter you twist, the smaller and more compact your flower will be.

Using your needle and thread, secure the flower together. If you’re clever enough you might want to do this as you’re assembling it rather than at the end (took me a few goes before I figured this out!)

Ta Da! Your first cherry blossom! Notice how I’ve still got the needle and thread attached? That’s because now you can go ahead and secure it straight onto your branch.

 

So what I’ve done is to go hunting in my backyard until I found a nice dry branch, painted it cream and stuck it in a vase. Easy right! Then I’ve added lots of my cherry blossoms and some faux suede leaves (I’m using XL09) until it looked right.

 

What do you think? Romantic and dreamy? Perfect for dispelling some winter blues by celebrating a perpetual Spring! I tied some CC09 around the vase for a lovely finishing touch.

Here’s a close-up of one of those blossoms on the branch. You can see how soft and delicate each one is. But the best part is, this is so easily adaptable! You could make this centerpiece in any colour scheme to suit your own décor. Or make a bunch of the blossoms to use for other projects instead. The possibilities are endless!

Thanks for letting me share my ideas with you today. It’s been so much fun!!